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Totem Pole by James Bender at Pike Place Market (#72: 15046 bytes)

Cedar: Tree of Life to the Northwest Coast Indians

cover.jpg (20137 bytes)

Author:

Hillary Stewart

Sample:

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"Cedar is a significant book that inspires awe not only for the versatility of the tree but also for the resourcefulness of the people." -Rotunda magazine, Royal Ontario Museum
From the giant cedar of the rainforest came a wealth of raw materials vital to the way of life, art, and culture of the early First Nations people of the Northwest Coast. All parts of the cedar tree had many uses. From the wood, skilled men made ocean-going canoes, massive post-and-beam houses, monumental carved poles that declared history, rights and lineage, and powerful dance masks. Women dexterously wove the inner bark into mats and baskets, plied it into cordage and netting or processed it into soft, warm, water-repellent clothing. They also made the strong withes into heavy duty rope and wove the roots into watertight baskets.
Hillary explains, through her vivid descriptions, 550 detailed drawings and 50 photographs, the tools and techniques used, as well as the superbly crafted objects and their uses--all in the context of daily and ceremonial life. Anecdotes, oral history and the accounts of early explorers, traders, missionaries and native elders highlight the text.
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© 2009 Chief Seattle Arts
Last modified: November 09, 2014